Thursday, July 17, 2008

We're back!

We got in last night, and we've been up since 4:00 this morning, but all in all the trip went well. In the week before we left, I took lots of photos to post about what I'll miss/not miss about Italy, and have now lost my camera. Oy. If it turns up, I'll post the photos. If not, I'll have to resort to a thousand words.A few first impressions:1. Air conditioning. Whoa.2. Soft, fluffy towels. Ahhhh.3. Three things I'd totally forgotten about: English muffins, cranberry juice, hash browns.4. TV is everywhere. Even in the customs line in the airport. Which is a good thing when you have a tired 2-year-old. He saw a baseball game on TV, pointed and shouted: "Basketball!" There was also a TV in the hotel breakfast room this morning. A big TV. And no one was talking to anyone. Even we got sucked in, and all that was on was the Washington, D.C. traffic report. More later...

I know you'll be missing a lot of things--I'm already feeling those twinges myself. However. Whenever you feel homesick, just go throw another load of laundry into the washer--or, ooh, dryer! (I was thinking longingly about dryers as I was picking the earwigs off my clothes yesterday...)

Hey Karen! We're at my sister's house, but more than half of us has had strep throat, so I haven't called yet, but I will in the next fews days. :-)

C.K.--the crunchy towels that you can prop up are one of the top things I don't miss about Italy!

Danette and Julie--I know--the whole lost camera thing really stinks. My father-in-law said no one has found it yet. Bummer.

Rose--It was earwig season in Italy as we left, too. The grasshoppers weren't as big or numerous this year, which was a relief every time I brought in my laundry. Now the only things in my laundry is dryer lint! Yahoo!

africakid, I'm with you and your youngest on the AC--like most things, it's best when used in moderation. I find myself practically jogging through the refrigerated food section of the supermarket--brrr!

"I've just had an Italian moment."
An expat friend of mine used to say this when referring to moments of:
1. bewilderment (attempting to drive for the first--or fiftieth--time in Italy),
2. mind-boggling frustration (including any and all experiences with bureaucratic Italian paperwork, which must be officially stamped to within an inch of its life), and
3. awe (drinking a creamy cappuccino in an outdoor cafe, surrounded by 300-year-old buildings).

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"I've just had an Italian moment."
An expat friend of mine used to say this when referring to moments of:
1. bewilderment (attempting to drive for the first--or fiftieth--time in Italy),
2. mind-boggling frustration (including any and all experiences with bureaucratic Italian paperwork, which must be officially stamped to within an inch of its life), and
3. awe (drinking a creamy cappuccino in an outdoor cafe, surrounded by 300-year-old buildings).